New Bedford's Paolo Tavares determined to finish strong

He won a state title at 125 pounds as a sophomore in 2011. He followed that up with a third-place finish at 132 a year ago. Falling short of another title left a sour taste in Tavares' mouth.

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By DEREK VITAL

southcoasttoday.com

By DEREK VITAL

Posted Dec. 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Dec 20, 2012 at 6:15 AM

By DEREK VITAL

Posted Dec. 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Dec 20, 2012 at 6:15 AM

» Social News

NEW BEDFORD — Paolo Tavares is on a mission.

The talented New Bedford High wrestler won a state title competing at 125 pounds as a sophomore in 2011. He followed that up with a third-place finish at 132 a year ago. Falling short of another title left a sour taste in Tavares' mouth and he is determined to reach new heights during his senior campaign.

"He's shooting for a New England title," said Whalers head coach Brandon Silva of Tavares. "He's been working hard. He looks great."

Tavares is currently fourth all-time at New Bedford with 132 wins. He is within striking distance of the school record 162 victories set by Kenny Francis in 2008.

The only other senior on the Whalers' roster is Derek Shorey. Shorey has spent the majority of his career in Tavares' shadow as they competed in the same weight class. Shorey has dropped down to 126 this year and has been impressive early in the season.

"This year he's finally below Paolo and he's having a great year," said Silva.

The Whalers have started the season with a pair of dual meet victories, including a 49-30 win over Southeastern Voke Wednesday night. They placed fifth at both the King Philip and Marlboro tournaments and have a tough quad meet against perennial Rhode Island powerhouses Bishop Hendricken and East Providence along with Somerset-Berkley this Saturday. Silva lists Plymouth South as the team to beat in Division 1 and also expects Braintree and Bridgewater-Raynham to field strong squads. He is hopeful the Whalers will capture the Big 3 title and be a force to be reckon with in the postseason.

"It depends on how hard they work," said Silva. "I think we'll have a tough team this year. We've got a lot of work to do, but I think we'll be in good shape."

One freshman to keep an eye on is Cody Costa, who is competing at 106. He is the younger brother of Jonathan Costa, who was an All-American for the Whalers in 2010. Silva said he hopes Costa can add a few pounds of muscle during the course of the season, allowing him to compete with some of the top wrestlers in his weight class.

"Cody has already wrestled for a few years," said Silva. "He knows what he is doing. He's going to be a tough one."

Silva also has high hopes for junior Guillermo Novoa, who is slotted in between Tavares and Shorey.

"Gilly has worked really hard," said Silva. "He's got a lot of heart. Last year was his first year wrestling for us. He's stuck between Paolo and Shorey so he's in a tough spot right now. We're chasing everyone's best wrestler with Paolo and trying to get Gilly in there."

Sophomore Sam DeJesus placed sixth at South Sectionals last year wrestling at 195. According to Silva, he is typically competing against veteran wrestlers at that weight class but should more than hold his own and could be a force to reckon with come the postseason.

Silva is particularly excited about a large junior class which should bode well for the future of the program.

"We've got 15 juniors," said Silva. "If they work hard this offseason, we could be really strong next year. The sky is the limit for them."